Molecular phylogeny and inflorescence evolution of Prunus (Rosaceae) based on RAD-seq and genome skimming analyses.

Prunus is an economically important genus widely distributed in the temperate Northern Hemisphere. Previous studies on the genus using a variety of loci yielded conflicting phylogenetic hypotheses. Here, we generated nuclear reduced representation sequencing data and plastid genomes for 36 Prunus individuals and two outgroups. Both nuclear and plastome data recovered a well-resolved phylogeny. The species were divided into three main clades corresponding to their inflorescence types, - the racemose group, the solitary-flower group and the corymbose group - with the latter two sister to one another. Prunus was inferred to have diversified initially in the Late Cretaceous around 67.32 million years ago. The diversification of the three major clades began between the Paleocene and Miocene, suggesting that paleoclimatic events were an important driving force for Prunus diversification. Ancestral state reconstructions revealed that the most recent common ancestor of Prunus had racemose inflorescences, and the solitary-flower and corymb inflorescence types were derived by reduction of flower number and suppression of the rachis, respectively. We also tested the hybrid origin hypothesis of the racemose group proposed in previous studies. Prunus has undergone extensive hybridization events, although it is difficult to identify conclusively specific instances of hybridization when using SNP data, especially deep in the phylogeny. Our study provides well-resolved nuclear and plastid phylogenies of Prunus, reveals substantial cytonuclear discord at shallow scales, and sheds new light on inflorescence evolution in this economically important lineage.

CircRRAS2 promotes myogenic differentiation of bovine MuSCs and is a novel regulatory molecule of muscle development.

The proliferation and myogenic differentiation of muscle stem cells (MuSCs) are important factors affecting muscle development and beef quality. There is increasing evidence that circRNAs can regulate myogenesis. We found a novel circRNA, named circRRAS2 that is significantly upregulated in the differentiation phase of bovine MuSCs. Here, we aimed to determine its roles in the proliferation and myogenic differentiation of these cells. The results showed that circRRAS2 was expressed in several bovine tissues. CircRRAS2 inhibited MuSCs proliferation and promoted myoblast differentiation. In addition, chromatin isolation by using RNA purification and mass spectrometry in differentiated muscle cells identified 52 RNA-binding proteins that could potentially bind to circRRAS2, in order to regulate their differentiation. The results suggest that circRRAS2 could be a specific regulator of myogenesis in bovine muscle.HighlightsCircRRAS2 expression is higher in DM cells than in GM cells.CircRRAS2 could significantly inhibit the proliferation and apoptosis of bovine MuSCs.CircRRAS2 promotes the differentiation of bovine MuSCs into myotubes.CircRRAS2 may exert regulatory effects through multiple RNA binding proteins.

Treatment advice of small molecule antiviral drugs for elderly COVID-19 / 中国药理学通报

COVID-19 has been prevalent for three years. The virulence of SARS-CoV-2 is weaken as it mutates continuously. However, elderly patients, especially those with underlying diseases, are still at high risk of developing severe infections. With the continuous study of the molecular structure and pathogenic mechanism of SARS-CoV-2, antiviral drugs for COVID-19 have been successively marketed, and these anti-SARS-CoV-2 drugs can effectively reduce the severe rate and mortality of elderly patients. This article reviews the mechanism, clinical medication regimens, drug interactions and adverse reactions of five small molecule antiviral drugs currently approved for marketing in China, so as to provide advice for the clinical rational use of anti-SARS-CoV-2 in the elderly.

Recent Progress in the Preparation Technologies for Micro Metal Coils.

The recent development of micro-fabrication technologies has provided new methods for researchers to design and fabricate micro metal coils, which will allow the coils to be smaller, lighter, and have higher performance than traditional coils. As functional components of electromagnetic equipment, micro metal coils are widely used in micro-transformers, solenoid valves, relays, electromagnetic energy collection systems, and flexible wearable devices. Due to the high integration of components and the requirements of miniaturization, the preparation of micro metal coils has received increasing levels of attention. This paper discusses the typical structural types of micro metal coils, which are mainly divided into planar coils and three-dimensional coils, and the characteristics of the different structures of coils. The specific preparation materials are also summarized, which provides a reference for the preparation process of micro metal coils, including the macro-fabrication method, MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical System) processing technology, the printing process, and other manufacturing technologies. Finally, perspectives on the remaining challenges and open opportunities are provided to help with future research, the development of the Internet of Things (IoTs), and engineering applications.

CircUBE2Q2 promotes differentiation of cattle muscle stem cells and is a potential regulatory molecule of skeletal muscle development.

BACKGROUND: The growth and development of muscle stem cells (MuSCs) are significant events known to affect muscle plasticity, disease, meat production, and meat quality, which involves the types and functions of mRNA and non-coding RNA. Here, MuSCs were cultured from Guangxi fetal cattle. RNA sequencing was used to analyze the RNA expression of mRNA and non-coding RNAs during the cell proliferation and differentiation phases. RESULTS: Two thousand one hundred forty-eight mRNAs and 888 non-coding RNAs were differentially expressed between cell proliferation and differentiation phases, including 113 miRNAs, 662 lncRNAs, and 113 circRNAs. RT-qPCR verified the differential expression levels of mRNAs and non-coding RNAs, and the differentially expressed circUBE2Q2 was subsequently characterized. Expression profile analysis revealed that circUBE2Q2 was abundant in muscle tissues and intramuscular fat. The expression of cricUBE2Q2 was also significantly upregulated during MuSCs myogenic differentiation and SVFs adipogenic differentiation and decreased with age in cattle muscle tissue. Finally, the molecular mechanism of circUBE2Q2 regulating MuSCs function that affects skeletal muscle development was investigated. The results showed that circUBE2Q2 could serve as a sponge for miR-133a, significantly promoting differentiation and apoptosis of cultured MuSCs, and inhibiting proliferation of MuSCs. CONCLUSIONS: CircUBE2Q2 is associated with muscle growth and development and induces MuSCs myogenic differentiation through sponging miR-133a. This study will provide new clues for the mechanisms by which mRNAs and non-coding RNAs regulate skeletal muscle growth and development, affecting muscle quality and diseases.

[Clinical Efficacy of Haplo-HSCT of ATG Combined with PTCy for Children with Myelodysplastic Syndrome].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the efficacy and safety of haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (haplo-HSCT) in combination of ATG and post-transplant cyclophosphamide (PTCy) -induced immune tolerance after transplantation in treatment of childhood myelodysplastic syndromes(MDS）. METHODS: From July 2016 to November 2020, a total of 8 children with MDS receiving the haploidentical allo-HSCT combined with ATG and PTCy-induced immune tolerance after transplantation in our hospital were enrolled, whose clinical data were retrospected and analyzed. RESULTS: Median age at diagnosis of the 8 children (1 male and 7 females) was 6.4 (range, 10 months to 15 years) years old. The median medical history of MDS was 2.7 years (range, 3 months to 8 years). Among the 8 patients, 7 cases were diagnosed with refractory cytopenia of childhood and one with refractory anemia with excess of blasts. The HSC donors were father, mother or brother of patients and HLA matching in 6-9/12 loci were identical. All the donors were healthy and didn't carry the same pathogenic genes as the recipients. The median age of donors was 36.4 (range, 25 to 49) years old. The median mononuclear cell (MNC) number of the graft was 19.8, ranging in (13.2-47.3)×108/kg, and the median CD34+ cell number was 11.8×106/kg, ranging in (5.0-18.3)×106/kg. Graft-versus-host disease prophylactic regimen was started on day 3 and 4 after transplantation, in which cyclophosphamide (50 mg/kg·d) was administered by intravenous infusion. From day 5 after transplantation, low-dose tacrolimus was administered by intravenous infusion and mycophenolate mofetil was administered orally. The median time of neutrophil and platelet engraftment was 12.6 (rang, 11 to 15) days and 13.3 (rang, 11 to 18) days, respectively. All the patients achieved full donor chimerism on neutrophil engraftment after transplantation. The median follow-up time was 1 032 (rang, 747 to 1 536) days. Both overall survival rate and disease-free survival rate were 100%. CONCLUSION: Haplo-HSCT combined with ATG and PTCy-induced immune tolerance after transplantation is a safe and effective treatment for children with MDS.

Protective effect of pre-perfusion with improved St.Thomas solution on skeletal muscle ischemia-reperfusion injury in dogs / 中华显微外科杂志

Objective:To explore the protective effect and mechanism of improved St. Thomas solution on canine skeletal muscle ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI).Methods:Between March 2021 and September 2021, in the experimental operating room at the Air Force Hospital of the PLA Eastern Theater Command, 16 Beagles were randomly divided into control group, IRI group, IRI+NS group, and improved St. Thomas group, 4 in each group. The canine skeletal muscle IRI model was established, and the canine vital signs were monitored by pre-perfusion with improved St. Thomas perfusate [potassium chloride (KCl), magnesium sulfate (MgSO 4), and NaHCO 3 (pH adjusted)]. The pathological damage of canine skeletal muscle was explored by hematoxylin eosin (HE) staining, electron microscope detection and tissue wet/dry weight ratio, and blood vessel density. Hypoxia performances were detected by labeling blood vessels and hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α). The IRI model of L6 rat myoblasts was established, and the components of St. Thomas perfusion solution were pre incubated to explore the effect on the inhibition of cell proliferation. And by detecting reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH), F2 isoprostane (F2-isoprostane), interleukin 1β(IL-1β), tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), myeloperoxide enzyme (MPO), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), etc. to explore its protective mechanism. Statistical software SPSS 23.0 was used for statistical analysis, A P<0.05 was set as statistically significant. Results:In the improved St. Thomas group, the vital signs of the dogs were relatively stable, the amount of maintained dopamine was less, the histopathological structure of the gastrocnemius muscle tended to be intact, the swelling of tissue cells and mitochondria was significantly relieved, and the tissue wet/dry weight ratio was less than that in the IRI group ( P=0.046). Pre-incubated with therapeutic doses of MgSO 4 or NaHCO 3, the proliferation rate of L6 cells was higher than that of IRI group ( P<0.01, P=0.005), NADPH ( P=0.004, P=0.001), F2-isoprostane ( P<0.01, P=0.01), IL-1β ( P=0.02, P=0.015), TNF-α ( P<0.01, P<0.01), MPO ( P<0.01, P<0.01) were all lower than those in the IRI group, except GSH-Px that was higher than what in the IRI group ( P<0.01). Conclusion:Pre-perfusion of the improved St. Thomas solution can stabilise the vital signs of dogs in a short period of time. The solution can improve the state of skeletal muscle cells, improve tissue hypoxia, and reduce the damage of skeletal muscle tissue cells through anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative stress.

Clinical Efficacy of Haplo-HSCT of ATG Combined with PTCy for Children with Myelodysplastic Syndrome / 中国实验血液学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the efficacy and safety of haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (haplo-HSCT) in combination of ATG and post-transplant cyclophosphamide (PTCy) -induced immune tolerance after transplantation in treatment of childhood myelodysplastic syndromes(MDS）.@*METHODS@#From July 2016 to November 2020, a total of 8 children with MDS receiving the haploidentical allo-HSCT combined with ATG and PTCy-induced immune tolerance after transplantation in our hospital were enrolled, whose clinical data were retrospected and analyzed.@*RESULTS@#Median age at diagnosis of the 8 children (1 male and 7 females) was 6.4 (range, 10 months to 15 years) years old. The median medical history of MDS was 2.7 years (range, 3 months to 8 years). Among the 8 patients, 7 cases were diagnosed with refractory cytopenia of childhood and one with refractory anemia with excess of blasts. The HSC donors were father, mother or brother of patients and HLA matching in 6-9/12 loci were identical. All the donors were healthy and didn't carry the same pathogenic genes as the recipients. The median age of donors was 36.4 (range, 25 to 49) years old. The median mononuclear cell (MNC) number of the graft was 19.8, ranging in (13.2-47.3)×108/kg, and the median CD34+ cell number was 11.8×106/kg, ranging in (5.0-18.3)×106/kg. Graft-versus-host disease prophylactic regimen was started on day 3 and 4 after transplantation, in which cyclophosphamide (50 mg/kg·d) was administered by intravenous infusion. From day 5 after transplantation, low-dose tacrolimus was administered by intravenous infusion and mycophenolate mofetil was administered orally. The median time of neutrophil and platelet engraftment was 12.6 (rang, 11 to 15) days and 13.3 (rang, 11 to 18) days, respectively. All the patients achieved full donor chimerism on neutrophil engraftment after transplantation. The median follow-up time was 1 032 (rang, 747 to 1 536) days. Both overall survival rate and disease-free survival rate were 100%.@*CONCLUSION@#Haplo-HSCT combined with ATG and PTCy-induced immune tolerance after transplantation is a safe and effective treatment for children with MDS.

Prevalence and Clinical Characteristics of Fabry Disease in Chinese Patients With Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of Fabry disease (FD) in Chinese patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is unclear. We aimed to evaluate the prevalence, clinical characteristics, and outcomes of FD in Chinese patients with HCM. METHODS: Of 217 patients with HCM, FD probands were screened by next-generation sequencing at Fuwai Hospital. Medical data from α-galactosidase A activity, electrocardiography, echocardiography, coronary angiography, cardiac magnetic resonance, pathological examination, and follow up was analyzed. RESULTS: Two FD probands were observed (0.93% of patients with HCM), both of which were diagnosed with symptomatic obstructive HCM at 49 years of age. One proband had a GLA mutation (c.887T>C [p.M296T]) with a late-onset cardiac variant, which was characterized by dual ventricular hypertrophy and conduction disease with a permanent pacemaker. The other patient had a GLA mutation (c.758T>C [p.I253T]) with a classic phenotype and dual ventricular hypertrophy, atrioventricular block, renal failure, and recurrent cerebral infarction. Both probands had late gadolinium enhancement mainly in the basal segment of the inferolateral wall. Follow up revealed no exertional symptoms or outflow obstruction after surgical septal myectomy in the two probands, and stable renal function was observed after 6 months of migalastat therapy in the later one. A family study revealed six female carriers and three sudden cardiac deaths. CONCLUSIONS: FD is not uncommon in Chinese patients with HCM. Multiple organic involvement, dual ventricular hypertrophy, and conduction disease provide clinical clues for suspected FD, and early genetic screening is necessary. Surgical septal myectomy and migalastat improve the long-term prognosis of patients with FD.

Pyroptosis: A New Frontier in Kidney Diseases.

Pyroptosis is a pattern of programmed cell death that significantly differs from apoptosis and autophagy in terms of cell morphology and function. The process of pyroptosis is characterized predominantly by the formation of gasdermin protein family-mediated membrane perforation, cell collapse, and the release of inflammatory factors, including IL-1ß and IL-18. In recent years, with the rise of pyroptosis research, scholars have devoted time to study the mechanism of pyroptosis in kidney-related diseases. Pyroptosis is probably involved in kidney diseases through two pathways: the caspase-1-mediated canonical pathway and the caspase-4/5/11-mediated noncanonical pathway. In addition, some scholars have identified targets for the treatment of kidney-related diseases from the viewpoint of pyroptosis and developed corresponding medicines, which may become a recommendation for prognosis, targeted treatment, and clinical diagnosis of kidney diseases. This paper focuses on the up-to-date advances in the field of pyroptosis, especially on the key pathogenic role of pyroptosis in the development and progression of kidney diseases. It presents a more in-depth understanding of the pathogenesis of kidney diseases and introduces novel therapeutic targets for the prevention and clinical treatment of kidney diseases.

High-grade fetal adenocarcinoma of the lung with abnormal expression of alpha-fetoprotein in a female patient: Case report.

INTRODUCTION: Fetal adenocarcinoma of the lung (FLAC) is an extremely rare tumor. Due to its rarity, most of the knowledge about FLAC comes from case reports. FLAC is an invasive adenocarcinoma that is similar to the fetal lung in the pseudo-glandular stage (8-16 weeks of gestation). Owing to the differences in histopathology and clinical process, FLAC has been further divided into low-level (L-FLAC) and high-level (H-FLAC). H-FLAC is usually associated with other conventional types of lung adenocarcinoma. Lung adenocarcinoma that produces alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) is a rare type of lung cancer. Its characteristics have not been fully elucidated. PATIENTS CONCERNS: We recently encountered this type of FLAC in a 51-year-old female patient. A computed tomography (CT) scan of the chest revealed a 74 × 51-mm sized tumor in the lingual segment of the superior lobe of the left lung. Among the tumor markers, serum AFP was elevated (816.2 ng/mL). PRIMARY DIAGNOSIS, INTERVENTIONS, AND OUTCOMES: The diagnosis of FLAC in this patient was confirmed by bronchoscopy with lung biopsy. Through a thoracoscope, left lung pneumonectomy, and mediastinal lymph node dissection were performed. The postoperative pathological results were consistent with the preoperative diagnosis of H-FLAC. Western blotting showed the difference in the AFP expression between the normal lung tissue and the cancerous lung tissue. Eventually, the diagnosis was AFP-producing H-FLAC. Using an immunohistochemical marker for AFP, cancer cells were shown to express AFP, specifically in their nuclei. After the operation, the patient underwent conventional chemotherapy. Her serum AFP gradually decreased over the course of 2 weeks. CONCLUSION: Presently, specific tumor markers for the diagnosis of lung cancer have not been established. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of abnormal AFP expression in a patient with H-FLAC. It may provide a basis for the clinical diagnosis of H-FLAC, a rare tumor, and AFP may be considered as a specific tumor marker.

Application of Wall Thickness Analysis in Estimating the Degree of Tibial Fracture Bone Healing / 医用生物力学

Objective To quantitatively judge the degree of tibial bone healing using the finite element wall thickness analysis method, so as to provide an intuitive diagnostic basis for clinical judgment of tibial union and delayed bone healing. Methods After three-dimensional (3D) modeling for the affected and healthy limb side of 48 patients, the maximum wall thickness (MWT) was calculated, and the ratio (B value) was used as a quantitative index of bone healing. When both BMWT2 and BMWT1 were greater than 0.9, bone healing could be judged. When BMWT2 was between 0.9 and 0.7, bone union was judged to be poor, and there was no significant increase in this value after regular reexamination. When BMWT3 was above 0.9 while both BMWT1 and BMWT2 were smaller than 0.7, it could be judged as internal fixation failure, which should be replaced during the second operation. The clinical diagnosis was revised twice, and the final clinical healing results were observed. Results Clinical diagnosis analysis and finite element wall thickness analysis were carried out in 48 patients during each review period, and 21 cases of delayed bone healing and 27 cases of bone nonunion were judged clinically. Among them, 2 cases were judged to be ineffective, and bone grafting intervention was adopted to replace the internal fixation, 12 cases were judged to be still effective, and all cases were finally healed by surgical intervention of bone grafting alone. By Bowker test, P=0.094 was obtained, indicating that the wall thickness analysis method was consistent with the clinical diagnosis. Conclusions The wall thickness analysis method can be used to quantitatively analyze the degree of bone healing at fracture end and realize the rapid calculation of bone healing degree. The case results in this study show that the finite element wall thickness analysis method is superior to the simple clinical diagnosis method, and has better differential diagnostic significance for early diagnosis of poor bone healing.

Posttranslational Modifications of PD-L1 and Its Prospect Application in Immunotherapy / 中国生物化学与分子生物学报

PD-L1 (programmed cell death 1 ligand 1 ) is an immunosuppressive ligand which mainly expressed on tumor cells, inhibiting the activation of T lymphocytes through binding with PD-1 (programmed cell death protein 1), thus leading to immune escape.PD-1/PD-L1 immune checkpoint blockade therapy, which established based on the above mechanism, gained success in the clinical treatment of solid tumors.Various kinds of PD-L1 posttranslational modifications were identified following the in-depth studies of PD-L1, including glycosylation, phosphorylation, ubiquitination, palmitoylation, et al.Meanwhile, multiple studies indicated that posttranslational modifications governs PD-LI-mediated immune escape through regulating the protein stability and physiological functions of PD-L1, which makes posttranslational modifications of PD-L1 turns into a new "entry" point of PD-L1 studies.Drugs targeting posttranslational modifications of PD-L1 exhibited favorable applicational prospects in immunotherapy at the same time.Regulating PD-L1-mediated immune escape through intervening PD-L1 posttranslational modifications becomes a new strategy for improving the efficacy of immunotherapy.In this review, we summarized the posttranslational modifications of PD-L1 and its applicational prospects in immunotherapy, hoping to provide theoretical supports for future studies focused on PD-L1.

Correlation between crowdedness in emergency departments and anxiety in Chinese patients.

BACKGROUND: Emergency department (ED) overcrowding is a severe health care concern, while anxiety and depression rates among ED patients have been reported to be substantially higher compared to the general population. We hypothesized that anxiety due to over crowdedness may lead to adverse events in EDs. AIM: To investigate correlations between crowdedness in EDs and anxiety of patients and nurses, and to identify factors affecting their anxiety. METHODS: In this prospective observational study, a total 43 nurses and 389 emergency patients from two tier III hospitals located in Beijing were included from January 2016 to August 2017. Patients were grouped into inpatients when they were hospitalized after diagnoses, or into outpatients when they were discharged after treatments. The State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI Form Y) questionnaire was used to investigate patient and nurse anxieties, while crowdedness of EDs was evaluated with the National Emergency Department Over Crowding Score. RESULTS: The present results revealed that state anxiety scores (49.50 ± 6.00 vs 50.80 ± 2.80, P = 0.005) and trait anxiety scores (45.40 ± 5.70 vs 46.80 ± 2.70, P = 0.002) between inpatients (n = 173) and outpatients (n = 216) were significantly different, while the state anxiety of nurses (44.70 ± 5.80) was different from those of both patient groups. Generalized linear regression analysis demonstrated that multiple factors, including crowdedness in the ED, were associated with state and trait anxieties for both inpatients and outpatients. In addition, there was an interaction between state anxiety and trait anxieties. However, multivariable regression analysis showed that while overcrowding in the ED did not directly correlate with patients' and nurses' anxiety levels, the factors that did correlate with state and trait anxieties of inpatients were related to crowdedness. These factors included waiting time in the ED, the number of patients treated, and the number of nurses in the ED, whereas for nurses, only state and trait anxieties correlated significantly with each other. CONCLUSION: Waiting time, the number of patients treated, and the number of nurses present in the ED correlate with patient anxiety in EDs, but crowdedness has no effect on nurse or patient anxiety.

Clinical characteristics of COVID-19 and the model for predicting the occurrence of critically ill patients: a retrospective cohort study.

BackgroundThe present study aim to comprehensively report the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of the COVID-19 patients and to develop a multi-feature fusion model for predicting the critical ill probability. MethodsIt was a retrospective cohort study that incorporating the laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 patients in the Chongqing Public Health Medical Center. The prediction model was constructed with least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) logistic regression method and the model was further tested in the validation cohort. The performance was evaluated by the receiver operating curve (ROC), calibration curve and decision curve analysis (DCA). ResultsA total of 217 patients were included in the study. During the treatment, 34 patients were admitted to intensive care unit (ICU) and no developed death. A model incorporating the demographic and clinical characteristics, imaging features and laboratory findings were constructed to predict the critical ill probability and it was proved to have good calibration, discrimination ability and clinic use. ConclusionsThe prevalence of critical ill was relatively high and the model may help the clinicians to identify the patients with high risk for developing the critical ill, thus to conduct timely and targeted treatment to reduce the mortality rate.

Efficacy and Safety of Tanshinone for Chronic Kidney Disease: A Meta-Analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To systematically evaluate the efficacy and safety of tanshinone for chronic kidney disease (CKD). METHODS: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on the treatment of CKD using tanshinone were searched using 4 Chinese databases (China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Value In Paper (VIP), Wanfang, and Chinese Biology Medicine (CBM)) and 3 English databases (PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Excerpta Medica Database (Embase)). The results included data on blood urine nitrogen (BUN), serum creatinine (Scr), glomerular filtration rate (GFR), 24 h urine protein, microalbuminuria (mALB), ß2-macroglobulin (ß2-MG), cystatin C (CysC), and safety events. The data were analyzed using Revman 5.3 and Stata 12.0 software. RESULTS: Twenty-one studies were entered into this meta-analysis, which involved 1857 patients including 954 cases from the tanshinone treatment group and 903 cases from the control group. BUN levels in the tanshinone treatment group were significantly reduced compared with the control (standardized mean difference (SMD) = -0.65, 95% confidence interval (CI): -0.81 to -0.49, p < 0.01). In addition, subgroup analysis indicated that tanshinone had a significant effect in reducing Scr levels at 14, 21, and 28 days. Scr levels in the tanshinone treatment group were significantly reduced compared with the control group (SMD = -1.40, 95% CI: -2.09 to -0.71, p < 0.01); subgroup analysis based on treatment time also yielded the same results. GFR in the tanshinone treatment group was better than that in the control group (SMD = 0.83, 95% CI: 0.59 to 1.07, p < 0.01). In terms of urine protein levels, 24 h urine protein level, mALB, and ß2-MG of CKD patients were reduced to some degree compared with controls, and CysC levels in the tanshinone treatment group were also significantly reduced compared with the control group (SMD = -0.24, 95% CI: -0.44 to -0.03, p < 0.05). Safety in the tanshinone treatment group did not differ significantly from that of the control group (risk ratio (RR) = 7.78, 95% CI: 0.99 to 61.05, p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: This meta-analysis showed that tanshinone could control urine protein level in CKD patients, improve kidney function, and delay the evolution of CKD without significant side effects. However, the results were limited and should be interpreted with caution because of the low quality of the included studies. In the future, more rigorous clinical trials need to be conducted to provide sufficient and accurate evidence.

Ineffective treatment technique of convex epiphysiodesis for congenital scoliosis / 中国骨伤

OBJECTIVE@#To discuss the long-term outcome of convex epiphysiodesis in the treatment for congenital scoliosis (CS).@*METHODS@#The clinical data of 22 patients with hemivertebral deformity undergoing convex epiphysiodesis from the October 1998 to Febuary 2008 were respectively analyzed. There were 12 males and 10 females. The whole spine anteroposterior radiographs were taken preoperatively, at 3-month postoperatively and at the final follow-up to measure the main curve and the compensatory curve. The progression rate was calculated for each patient. Observing the correlation between the progression rate and annual progression of the scoliosis and age, gender, hemivertebral number, hemivertebral position, preoperative main curve Cobb angle and compensatory curve Cobb angle, comparing different ages, genders, hemivertebral number and position, and preoperative main curve Cobb angle on the progression of postoperative curve.@*RESULTS@#The mean Cobb angle of main curve changed from (40.5±9.8) ° before surgery to (39.5±11.1) ° at 3 months after surgery, which significantly increased to (46.8±13.9) ° in the final follow-up. Meanwhile the mean Cobb angle of compensatory curve was changed from (20.1±10.8) ° before surgery to (23.0±11.1) °, which significantly increased to (29.9±11.5) ° in the final follow-up. There were no significant differences in the Cobb angle of the main curve and the compensatory curve between postoperative 3 months and before operation (>0.05). The difference between the final follow-up and the preoperative, postoperative 3 months was statistically significant (<0.01). Twenty patients experienced progression of both main curve and compensatory curve, with a mean progression rate of (19.2±17.9)% for main curve and (39.6±37.0)% for compensatory curve. The annual progression volume was (1.5± 1.4) ° for main curve and (1.4±1.3) ° for compensatory curve. Three patients underwent lateral convex orthopedic internal fixation due to postoperative scoliosis progression. The curve progression was significantly correlated with age at the time of surgery and hemivertebral number. There was a significant correlation between the age of the operation, the main curve angle, the preoperative compensatory curve angle and the annual progression volume of the main curve (<0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#The convex epiphysiodesis technique cannot effectively prevent curve progression of CS patients in the long-term follow-up. It is not recommended to apply this technique to the treatment of patients with congenital hemivertebrae.

RETRACTED: LSAMP-AS1 binds to microRNA-183-5p to suppress the progression of prostate cancer by up-regulating the tumor suppressor DCN.

This article has been retracted: please see Elsevier Policy on Article Withdrawal (https://www.elsevier.com/about/our-business/policies/article-withdrawal). This article has been retracted at the request of the editor after publication concerns were raised with respect to data presented in Figure 2. The journal contacted Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China, who formed an Academic Committee to investigate. According to the "Academic Ethics and Implementation Rules" of Southern Medical University, the Committee reported evidence of improper preservation of original data and incorrect use of pictures, and recommended immediate withdrawal of the paper. Specifically, in the PC-3 group of Fig. 2H, the 'Control' cell migration image had been partially duplicated in the 'Empty vector' image. As per journal policy, original files used to create the entire figure were requested. Raw western blot images were not available for Figure 2 C+F, and experimental repeats yielded protein level discrepancies with the original published data. The editors therefore no longer have confidence in the integrity of these data.

Truncated Epithelial Sodium Channel ß Subunit Responsible for Liddle Syndrome in a Chinese Family.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Liddle syndrome (LS) is a rare autosomal dominant disease caused by mutations in genes coding for epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) subunits. The aim of this study was to identify the mutation responsible for the LS in an extended Chinese family. METHODS: DNA samples from the proband with early-onset, treatment-resistant hypertension, and hypokalemia and 19 additional relatives were all sequenced for mutations in exon 13 of the ß-ENaC and γ-ENaC genes, using amplification by polymerase chain reaction and direct DNA sequencing. RESULTS: Genetic testing of exon 13 of SCNN1B revealed duplication of guanine into a string of 3 guanines located at codon 602. This frameshift mutation is predicted to generate a premature stop codon at position 607, resulting in truncated ß-ENaC lacking the remaining 34 amino acids, including the crucial PY motif. Among a total of 9 participants with the identical mutation, different phenotypes were identified. Tailored treatment with amiloride was safe and effective in alleviating disease symptoms in LS. No mutation of SCNN1G was identified in any of the examined participants. CONCLUSIONS: We report here a family affected by LS harboring a frameshift mutation (c.1806dupG) with a premature stop codon deleting the PY motif of ß-ENaC. Our study demonstrates that the earlier LS patients are diagnosed by genetic testing and treated with tailored medication, the greater the likelihood of preventing or minimizing complications in the vasculature and target organs.